


Cat Got Your Tongue?

by wholewheatpopcorn



Series: Cat Witch AU [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, cat witch au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25889626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wholewheatpopcorn/pseuds/wholewheatpopcorn
Summary: Virus runs away from home and finds shelter with an unlikely ally.
Relationships: Virus | Maxwell Vincent Tyler & Muse | Maximus Taylor
Series: Cat Witch AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878718
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Cat Got Your Tongue?

**Author's Note:**

> Cat witch AU: Muse is a cat witch: a cat that can turn into a human and use magic. Virus is a runaway who happens upon Muse's home in the forest.

Virus was expecting many things when he ran away from home. 

He was not, however, expecting a talking cat. 

He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Yep. A cat. A white cat, perched on the top of the table with its fluffy white tail curled around its dainty little paws. There was a string of pearls and an amulet hanging from its neck, nestled right above its chest fur as an imitation of what a collar would look like. 

The cat gave Virus an impatient look and opened its little mouth to speak again, “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

Indeed. A talking cat. Who would’ve thought?

Virus shifted on his feet. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know anyone lived in this house.” He tried for a charming smile. “I wasn’t looking to offend anyone, I just wanted a place to rest.” 

The cat eyed him carefully, it’s tail swishing in agitation. “How old are you?”

“13.”

“13.” The cat repeated. Its ear flickered. “You’re that missing kid from Yin Village, aren’t you?” 

Virus’s shoulders went stiff, the smile on his face just a little more strained. He moved his hands slowly towards his belt, where his knife was tucked away, and forced a fake laugh out of his mouth. “I’m sure you’re mistaken. Not every kid you encounter has to be a missing one, you know?” He’d never eaten cat meat before but if push came to shove he was willing to. He came looking for food after all and it would’ve been a waste to leave the cat’s body rotting after he killed it. 

The cat’s bright blue eyes flickered down to Virus’s belt and it scoffed. “What are you hoping you can achieve with that? Flay me to death?”

Virus’s responding grin was all sharp teeth. “I’m very handy with a knife.” 

The cat considered this for a moment. “Show me.” 

“Pardon?”

“Show me your knife skills.” 

Virus opened his mouth. Then closed it. He shifted his weight on his feet, then slowly, almost reluctantly, drew his dagger from its sheath. 

“How...?”

“Peels these apples besides me.” The cat’s white tail unfurled, the tip hovering over a basket of fruit Virus only just noticed. He quirked his brows up, unsure whether to be amused or annoyed. 

Well. There was no harm in playing along with the weird cat. Maybe it was bored. Virus was bored, at least. 

He grabbed the apple, tossed it in his hands a couple of times, then got to work peeling the skin away.

“Here’s your peeled apple.” He held out the apple but the cat remained in its spot on the table. 

“Now cut it into pieces.”

“I’m not your maid, kitty.” Virus frowned, glancing down at the apple before deciding he was already too far in to refuse. What the hell, he had time to kill anyways. 

A minute later, he placed six apple slices onto the table besides the cat. The cat’s ears perked up and Virus watched with growing amusement and exasperation as the cat took a piece into its mouth and started eating away. 

Only when it finished its slice did it finally address him, standing and stretching its long limbs. “Alright.” It licked its paw, tail swishing slowly. “If you want to stay, then follow me.” 

Virus’s nose crinkled. “What if I don’t want to stay?”

“Then you go back to the village you came from or the forest.” The cat glanced at him up and down. “You seem prepared enough for it anyways. Far be I from the one to keep you from living your wilderness dreams.” 

With a graceful leap, the cat jumped off the table and looked over its shoulder. “Well? Are you coming or not?”

Virus looked at the cat. 

Then at the room around him and the apples on the table. 

.....

“....What should I do with the rest of the apples?” He said finally, looking back at the cat. 

The cat sounded bemused when it spoke, it’s bushy tail waving slowly in the air. “Eat it, if you want.” 

Virus did, in fact, want. He munched on the apples thoughtfully, careful to savor each burst of sweet juiciness, and went in pursuit of the strange talking cat. 

His next few hours went a little like this:

“Chop this wood.”

“Ok.”

“Start the fire.”

“Alright.”

“Do you know how to cook?”

“Yes”

“Cook this.”

“Ok.”

“Cook this too.”

“Sure.”

“Add some of this too.”

“You’re one demanding cat, you know?”

At some point Virus stopped questioning where the cat was producing so many ingredients— quality ingredients at that, the only time Virus had ever seen things like lamb and fine sugar served so freely was when Cree was entertaining the Lord of the neighboring lands. No matter how long Virus cooked, how much he swore he already cleared the kitchen table of all its ingredients, every time he looked back the cat was always there with another obscure ingredient it wanted cooked. 

It was almost exhausting. If Virus didn’t have a finer sense of self control, he would’ve just stuffed all the ingredients into his starving mouth already. What was the worst the cat could do if he didn’t cook and took off with his ingredients? Meow him to death? Still, there were so many unknown factors to account for and Virus figured it was better not to take the risk. Instead, he remained steadfast in his task of cooking despite his growing doubts as to why he was even bothering with the tasks at all. 

Of course, if he snuck a few bites no one had to know, right?

“Take a seat.” The cat said as it leapt onto the table. It must’ve set up the table while Virus was cooking, Virus mused as he sat across the cat. He almost regretted missing the scene, if only because the picture of a cat setting a table was absolutely hilarious to him. 

Through some means, the cat managed to maneuver its way around the table and serve itself small portions of everything present on the table. Virus was admittedly impressed by the fact the cat pulled the feat off without managing to look stupid. Perhaps it was just the innate charm of all cats playing to the talking cat’s advantage. Though, Virus was never particularly fond of cats so he wasn’t quite sure what existing charm there was that could hide any clumsy faults on the talking cat’s end. 

The cat took a small bite out of its food and Virus noted with amusement that the first dish it went for was the fish. Typical cat move. 

“Don’t watch me eat.” The cat spoke, a bit testily. It raised its head to glower at Virus. Virus raised his eyebrows as if to ask what he should do instead. “Eat.” 

“Eat?” He repeated, a bit surprised. Eat? Not that Virus was ever someone to need permission to do things, but was he allowed to do that? Cree was never fond of him making himself at home when there were guests— wait. Virus paused in his musings. What did he care about Cree anyways? He ran away for a reason! 

“Eat. I’m not going to finish this all myself and you’re the chef after all.” Not needing any further encouragement, Virus grabbed a plate and began heaping the food on. 

“I don’t think cats normally eat this much human food, do they?” Virus quipped, his lips quirked up into a grin as he wolfed down a thing of lamb. 

“I’m not a normal cat.” Came the reply as the cat worked slowly away at its own offerings. Well, Virus could agree with that much at least. 

A bit after the cat led him further into the house, into a quaint little room decorated with a few paintings, a bookshelf and a bed. 

“You can sleep here.” It told Virus.

The room wasn’t anything impressive, really, but it was better than the dirt on the forest floor. Virus stepped into the room to take it in while the cat remained by the doorway. 

“Of course, I’m not the type of benevolent person that would let someone stay in my house for nothing. Your stay here will have a price.” 

Ah. The catch. There always was a catch. Virus spun back around to face the cat, arms crossed and brows raised. He glanced back at the window, judging how difficult it would be to make an impromptu escape from there, before settling his gaze onto the cat’s furry figure. 

“In exchange for staying here, you’ll have to cook enough dinner to feed the both of us everyday.”

.....That was it? That’s all?

Virus’s brows furrowed even more. “That’s all?”

“I enjoy eating good food but I am not keen on cooking for myself. You are in need of a roof over your head and I am in need of a chef. It works out.” 

Virus opened his mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again, speaking a bit too rushed for his own liking. “Deal.” He couldn’t help it, a deal like that was almost too good to be true and he wasn’t about to wait for the cat to add more things to its list of demands. 

“Then we have ourselves an agreement.” The cat meowed, it’s blue eyes glinting in the dim lighting. “If there are any ingredients you need, tell me and I’ll find them for you.” The cat turned around, its tail brushing against the wooden frame of the door. 

“Well then, good night.”

“Wait—!”

The cat paused. 

“What if I want to leave?” Virus pressed, his fingers curling into his fists. 

“Then leave, you know where the exit is.” The cat meowed, almost a bit impatiently. “No one is keeping you here.”

“And if I stay?”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I was not ok with the idea of you staying.”

“Is this room mine?”

“Clearly.”

“Can I do whatever I want with it?”

“You can do whatever you want with anything in this house. Are you done with the stupid questions?”

“....What’s your name?” 

The cat’s eyes crinkled. “Muse.” It brushed past the doorway and into the inky darkness of the hallway.

“Goodnight Virus.”

Muse.

What a strange name for a cat. 

As Virus tucked himself into his new bed, it occurred to him that he didn’t quite recall ever giving Muse his name. 

Hm.


End file.
